Special Poll
Wednesday marked a significant move by House Republicans as they officially launched an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, following a party-line vote of 221-212. This formal step is seen as an effort by the GOP to lend more legal gravity to their investigative demands as the inquiry intensifies.
Central to the probe, Hunter Biden, the president’s son, did not comply with a GOP subpoena for a deposition scheduled for the same day, prompting Republican leaders to emphasize the necessity of the formal vote.
This resolution officially acknowledges the ongoing inquiry into President Biden, an investigation that had been informally initiated months ago. Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had previously indicated that various Republican investigations into the president were part of an impeachment process, though no official vote had been cast until now.
The move to formalize the inquiry partly stems from the White House’s response last month, which challenged the constitutionality of the inquiry due to the absence of a formal vote, referencing a legal opinion from the Trump administration.
Post-vote, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.), a key figure in the probe, expressed satisfaction, signaling a clear message to the White House for compliance.
President Biden criticized the House Republicans’ actions, dismissing them as a “baseless political stunt.” In a detailed statement released shortly after the vote, Biden expressed his focus on substantial issues affecting Americans and lamented the lack of bipartisan cooperation from House Republicans.
The impeachment inquiry encompasses thorough examinations of the personal and business finances of Biden family members and scrutinizes the Justice Department’s investigation into Hunter Biden’s tax issues.
However, evidence supporting a highly controversial claim, initially promoted by former President Trump, remains elusive. This claim suggests Joe Biden, as vice president, acted in Ukraine to benefit his son’s business ventures. Comer, on the House floor, described Hunter Biden’s business activities as potential corruption, indicating plans to depose and interview various Biden family members and associates despite what he perceives as White House obstruction.